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     I had a slight change - well, a big change - but it didn't change the encounters much. The group reasoned with Vladistone and allowed him into the Fortress after much roleplaying with him and Aldus. The Tower recognized Vladistone and drew him into the Tower until "That Which Was Taken" was returned.
      Much of the time was great roleplaying what they had been doing during the Four Months. The Druid had tryed to find out the History of Vladistone and "What Was Taken". As a foreshadowing, he fought a rumor that The Silver Company had an Eladrin Wizard that had gone deep into the Feywild after his friend Vladistone had died. He and Faldrya learned much of the Silver Company that was not dangerous for them to learn this soon. He also tryed to keep the new Invernessian from cutting too much lumber. So, the encounter with the lost foresters had special meaning for him.
     The Drow Priest and the Elven Druid played a semi-dangerous game of Cat and Mouse - the had been ordered by their respective bosses to act nice to their enemies - for now - in hopes that some sort of peace treaty could come from this - or at least some advantage in the eternal struggle. The Drow's boss specificly mentioned that failure on her part would result in "dire demotion in her rank". 
     The Sun Priest started building his Temple on a Mountain Top. With the help of his friend the Half-Orc who had to keep the odd goblin away.
     The Drow Hunter, did some hunting with his new friend - Cadmus, one of the ill-fated foresters. He was trying to grow a beard, with marginal success. He found a way to magically stimulate beard growth. And had someone cast it on Faldrya. This sparked an Elf - Drow joke war that was still raging months later. The budding romance of Faldrya and the Drow is expected to happen any day now.
     The Tiefling went into business thru his family with a local Dwarven brewer becoming the town's Beer Baron. He also worked with the Rogue to make a tavern. The Half-Orc becoming a part time bouncer - not that he actually stops brawls from happening. 
     The group was in the tavern in the middle of a brawl - or avoiding it - when the start of the situation dropped on them. They hadn't caught the hint of rumor of diseased animals - so I rubbed their faces in it. The Drow Priest got a diseased weasel pelt in the face. That stopped the brawl right quick and people took notice with a Demon Plague on the face of one of the PCs. It had been neutralized by the ward, but it got their attention.
      The foresters stumbled into the town near the same time. To add a bit of desperation, I had an element that their bodys where too far gone, but their souls might not be. The group was NOT going to let Aldus leave. They liked him and knew that the ward was connected to him. But, he was the only one that could cure the disease and remove the source. So, they relucantly took him - like they could stop him . 
       They went out to find the foresters. Made great skill checks. It was clear that the fight with the foresters was going to seem like a mild speed bump, so I punched things up. I wanted it to be interesting, but not long. They had to try to not kill the foresters so that their souls could saved. Also, I had the plague give the foresters mild but dramatic power-ups and monster-out effects that added some tension. The Drow Hunter vowed that he would avenge his fallen friend and took his magic bow to help with the avenging.
      They set off to find the source of infection.